Aprilia boss praises secret weapon team member for 2025 MotoGP success
Aprilia is in the midst of its best season yet in MotoGP in 2025

Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola has praised the brand’s 2025 form, in part, to new technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini, following its Australian Grand Prix win.
Despite what has been a turbulent season for the Italian manufacturer, as it faced injury hell and a contract dispute with big-money signing Jorge Martin, it has emerged as Ducati’s biggest threat.
Scoring wins at the British and Australian Grand Prix (the latter with Trackhouse), as well as six other podiums, Aprilia has emerged in the second half of the season as a consistent frontrunner.
Praise for this has fallen on Fabiano Sterlacchini, who joined Aprilia from KTM as technical director to replace Honda-bound Romano Albesiano at the end of last year.
“Fabiano is doing a really great job,” Rivola said at the Australian Grand Prix.
“He’s really committed. He seized the opportunity.
“But I’m not a fan of the one-man show, so I would prefer to congratulate all of the people at Noale and here at the track who are following Fabiano’s route.
“Many areas improved, but at this level, it’s never enough.
“So, today, clearly, we were very fast with the bike, in Indonesia too.
“We will go to Sepang, and maybe it’s going to be different. The gaps are so narrow, so small, you cannot really enjoy it too much.”
Aprilia has “everything to fight for victories” now
Rivola has said previously that Aprilia can aim to battle Ducati in 2026, and maintains that it “will be part of the game” next year based on its current trajectory.
“I think that must be our target, and we cannot hide that we are happy to win one race or two in the season,” he said.
“We have all the potential. We have everything to fight for the victories. We have the riders.
“We will have Jorge back. We need a proper pre-season, Jorge needs to do that.
“Marco will start with a season on the shoulders, so that will be big experience for him.
“But Jorge needs to learn to be patient and to work on that.
“But it’s also good to count on a strong satellite team. I’m really happy that Raul is now there, and I’m very confident Ai Ogura will come.
“Next year, Aprilia can be strong. We don’t know what the others will do, but according to the way we are working, we will be part of the game.”